NEW GONVILLE SCHOOLMASTER

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13339, 30 March 1911, Page 2

NEW GONVILLE SCHOOLMASTER

FAREWELLED AT RONCOTEA. The residents of Eorigotca filled the Coronation Hall on AVedncsday night to farewell Mr G. H. Bowater, who' has been schoolmaster at Eongotca for nearly three decades, and is now under notice of transfer to the charge of Gonville School. The Palmerston amateurs provided an interesting programme, after which Mr Fred Pirani, chairman of the AVanganui Education Board, who presided, made prescutatons to the guests of the evening on behalf of the residents. In the course of hisremarks, Mr Pirani said that the school had not only grown, hut (lie headmaster had progressed with it, until, .under the classification scheme adopted by the Board, he had boon marked out for the promotion he was about to receive. Two generations of residents had passed through his hands—some of them literally as well as from a scholastic point of view —and yet Mr Bowater was as young and eveh more enthusiastic than ever. Ho had proved equal to the demands of the now syllabus and to the. advances in'educational methods the times had brought forth, and it was to be hoped that in his new location he would be even more successful in his work than ho had been in Eongotca, and -that was saying a great deal. But it was not only in his schoo 1 that Air Bowater had proved his real worth, for in the social life of the place he had alwas taken a leading part. In cricket, tennis, football, and' other sports he was always prominent. In church work Mr and Mrs Bowater and family had done more than’ their share, and their departure would leave a gap it would be. very difficult indeed to fill. The residents o f Eongotca bad asked him to express their keen regret at Mr and Mrs Bowater’s departure, their hearty good wishes for their future welfare, and their hope that prosperity and happiness would always attend them Ho then presented Mr Bowater with a.- handsome gold watch inscribed “To 'C. H. 8., from Eongotca.’' and said that he trusted that it would always remind him of the happy time he had spent in Eongotca, and the golden thoughts in the hearts of his friends. Mr Pirani also presented Mrs Bowater with throe solid silver flower vases as a token of the appreciation of the great help she had always been •• to her husband and, the good work she had done for the comHe knew that sbe- would carry away with her the kindest wishes loving hearts could feel for one whom they esteemed amongst “the salt of the earth.' ’’ On Monday evening a surprise party, comprising members of the AVcslcyan Church and choir, assembled at Mr Bowater’s residence, and the Rev. Mr Frosf and Messrs T. Griffiths and John Sanson paid tributes to the good work done by the family in’connection with the church and Sunday school, and the keen regret felt' at their departure. On behalf of the pupils and parents connected with the Sunday school, Mr Bowater was presented with a- combination silver breakfast set. from the members of the church. Mrs Bowater received a silver hot-water kettle, and from the choir Miss Bowater received a silver afternoon tea service. Mr Bowater returned hearty thanks on behalf of Mrs ajid Miss Bowater and himself.